Traditionally the tobacco farmer has had to cope with handling loose leaf tobacco or bundles of tobacco after the curing process. In certain areas, it would be advantageous for him to be able to form bales for more efficient handling and shipping. Leaf and strip tobacco can be conveniently compressed into cubical bales with bale boards on two ends and plastic or steel strapping applied to hold the bale in the compressed condition. Conveniently cubical bales are formed which facilitates handling particularly when mechanical lift equipment is employed. Furthermore, the cubical bales can be easily stacked for storage to most effectively utilize available space. The difficulty with the best known tobacco baling procedures is that the baling mechanisms are quite cumbersome, large and expensive and are fixed at a location that is usually quite remote from the fields where the tobacco is grown.
Therefore, it would certainly be advantageous to provide an inexpensive and easy to operate bale press which is portable and can be readily transported to the fields. In this manner, the tobacco can be easily handled at an early stage of harvesting and processing. Naturally, the advantages of the fixed equipment are desired in adapting the equipment for portable use. The difficulty of transportation and use of the bale press must be maintained at a minimum so that the advantages of portability and baling procedures are maintained. Also, low initial cost is a factor in connection with the equipment utilized as well as operating cost and efficiency.
Throughout the years, more specifically for the past 100 years, various types of baling presses have been developed with the sophistication of the machinery being influenced by changing technology. The presses have been used in handling and processing materials such as cotton, hops and tobacco.
Examples of early presses developed in the 19th century appear in U.S. Pat. Nos. 151,594; 155,329; 172,132; 177,547; 214,838; 224,924; 261,855; 230,053; 266,718 and 335,053.
At the turn of the century, more sophisticated types of improved machinery produced somewhat more complex baling presses such as those in U.S. Pat. Nos. 670,505; 867,142; 1,132,083; and 1,260,162.
Thereafter, during the first half of the present century, in view of the development of the motor vehicle and other sophisticated power devices, various types of powered presses were engineered such as those in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,265,771; 2,476,672; 2,579,176; 2,782,710; and 2,816,502.
Finally, more recent sophisticated processing equipment and procedures have been developed building upon the previous technology, as examplified by U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,561,191; 3,768,679; 3,824,758; and 3,828,662.
Tracing the development of the baling press, and more specifically a portable baling press throughout the past 100 years, as can be observed from the above mentioned patents, shows the rate of development as well as the apparent understanding of the need for more effective ways of handling material such as tobacco. Further improvements are constantly being sought to enhance the efficiency of handling tobacco.